Shloka 44

Kāśī-māhātmya: Avimukta Gaṅgā and the Pañcanada Tīrtha

Devanagari script

श्रवणादस्य सुभगे भूयात्पठनतोऽपि वा । सर्वयज्ञेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्फलम् ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

śravaṇādasya subhage bhūyātpaṭhanato'pi vā | sarvayajñeṣu yatpuṇyaṃ sarvatīrtheṣu yatphalam || 44 ||

Translation

O auspicious one, merely by hearing this—or even by reciting it—one gains the merit of all sacrifices and the fruit of all sacred pilgrimage places.

Word by Word

• श्रवणात्: from hearing
• श्रवणात्: Apadana (अपादान/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (ablative singular)

• अस्य: of this (text)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन (genitive singular pronoun)

• सुभगे: O fortunate one
• सुभगे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (vocative singular)

• भूयात्: may be / would be
• भूयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: भू (to be/become)

• पठनतः: from reading
• पठनतः: Apadana (अपादान/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (ablative singular; adverbial use)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-शब्दः (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• सर्वयज्ञेषु: in all sacrifices
• सर्वयज्ञेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन (locative plural)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (nom/acc singular)

• सर्वतीर्थेषु: in all pilgrimage places
• सर्वतीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन (locative plural)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (nom/acc singular)

Speaker

Suta (narrator) / Purana narrator voice (contextual attribution within Book 2 Mahatmya style passages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It elevates śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) of the sacred passage as a direct, accessible means to obtain vast spiritual merit—equated here with the cumulative rewards of all yajñas and all tīrtha pilgrimages.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By praising hearing and recitation, it supports the bhakti-oriented discipline of engaging with sacred narration—where attentive listening and repeated chanting/reading become primary devotional acts that yield profound spiritual results.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes pāṭha (correct recitation) and śravaṇa (disciplined listening), aligning with Śikṣā (phonetics and proper pronunciation) as the practical foundation for preserving and transmitting sacred texts.